Complacency Kills [Sento]

Mission Specs

A whole week, it had been an entire week since either Ashi or Chai's feet had touched solid ground. The unique outposts used by the Leaf village were floored with slats of wood that had a bad habit of bending under too much weight. In theory, it allowed the structure to survive the wind storms that so often ravaged the edge of the forests in mid-winter. As usual, Chai, that big brown mutt, didn't mind, but Ashi could not help but feel a bit uneasy when she first slipped out of her cot only to drop down a fraction of an inch. Yes, even a seasoned anbu operative got those mini-heart attacks inherent to everyday life.

Thus, for the seventh time that week, she threw off her paper thin sheet and stepped down onto the pliant wood floor only for her heart to jump into her throat and her stomach to do a flip. No, there really was no getting used to that feeling. The next few steps, however, came much easier. Pulling her hair back, flak jacket on, and a pair of wool socks the woman was ready for her day—for the most part, she slept fully clothed, but something about sleeping with socks got to her and a flak jacket was just plain uncomfortable.

"Morning Wolf," Operative Parrot had been up all night with Chai keeping watch. "Porridge? It's just the way you like it, icy cold."

Ashi suppressed a laugh that came out more as a snort than anything else; she'd only eaten cold porridge for the past seven days.

"Oh Parrot, what would I do without you?" she asked, her words dripping with sarcasm.

The larger man shrugged and patted Chai's head. It had taken a good year for the dog to get used to Parrot, but now the two seemed the best of friends.

"Eat, eat," Parrot shoved a small bowl of porridge into Ashi's hands. "You'll need all the energy you can get with me gone."

"Don't remind me you lucky bastard," she slurped up some of the high-quality slop that passed for breakfast. "Enjoy your time off."

"Have fun, Wolf," Parrot winked and smiled that crookedly roguish smile he had before slipping out of outpost Omega and off to a well-deserved break. Parrot had a replacement coming, but he wasn't due at the outpost for another half an hour. For now, Ashi and Chai were alone without another soul around for what was probably a mile.

Walking to one of the many observation ports of the outpost the Inuzuka cast her gaze at the new day. In the distance, the first hints of the sun could be seen sending shafts of light through the canopy and somewhere deep in the forest a single bird sung. Oh, and the ground seemed as far away as ever. Perhaps it should have been noted earlier, but outpost Omega lay nestled high in the canopy of the Fire country's famous forest. Though, that's just a small detail, right?
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WC: 502

Sento’s bright yellow eyes scanned the lush green forest as he walked down a dirt path clearly carved by thousands of feet before him. He still couldn’t believe that he had stepped foot out of the village just minutes ago, it had been the first time he had ventured so far from Konoha and he was more than excited to do so. Konoha was a nice place, but he had always been a bit adventurous, it was part of the reason that he had become a shinobi. The promise of getting to travel and see new places, even at the risk of death allured him more than most men.

As he walked down the path that he knew would lead him to his destination he raised the sleeve of his shirt and wiped the bead of sweat running down his face before parting his long white hair to the side to increase his range of vision. The young senju was on his way towards what the men who had briefed him had called Outpost Omega to guard it with some other shinobi he had probably never met.

When his eyes landed on a low hanging branch the senju would jump up and use it like a gymnast swinging on the branch until his body was above it before resting in place and looking up to where he knew outpost omega would be. Covered in a leafy canopy to hide its location from potential threats. “Hello? Anyone there? I’m coming up!” he’d say as he climbed the tree trunk with the surface walking technique he had learned in the academy before entering the outpost.

WC: 273

There's a certain serenity in the time between night and day. Everything seems to stand still for a moment. Then the sun rises and that moment is gone. For Ashi that feeling of serenity lasted well past that scared hour of dawn right up until she heard a familiar voice, Sento Senju. Ashi's line of work required a good memory and she never forgot a voice. No, she never forgot no matter how much she wanted to—it was both a blessing and a curse. Suffice to say that the Inuzuka woman did not plan on rolling out the welcome wagon.

Chairomaru, on the other hand, didn't put much stock in bloodlines and grudges. He had been waiting by the entrance since before Ashi even realized Sento was in the area. Chai always seemed to have a better intuitive sense than his relatively oblivious companion. When Sento entered the over-glorified treehouse he'd find himself assailed by a wagging tail and a wet tongue. The large mutt had a penchant for greeting people with big doggie kisses and due to both his size and strength people rarely declined nor did Ashi feel particularly inclined to spare a Senju the wrath of Chai's bad breath.

"Good morning, Sento Senju," in an emotionless tone was all the genin would get from Ashi as Chai launched his attack. She wouldn't even bother turning her gaze from the window before her.

Spending a day alone with a Senju? That had not been on the top of Ashi's to-do list.

Oh well.
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WC: 256
TWC: 758

Sento’s earlier wonder on whether or not the outpost was occupied was almost immediately answered as his young hands opened the hatch attached to bottom of outpost omega and his white hair rose into it coming face to face with… A dog? His eyes lit up as the giant brown fur covered thing leapt onto him and forced him to fall onto his back against the wooden hatch he had just came into the outpost from. He would be afraid if the dog had shown any hostile intent, which one could hardly call a barrage of wet tongue that smelled of dog breath.

He tried to push the dog off at first if for no other reason than to free his face from the liquid dog slobber that now covered the entirety of his head and hair, but it seemed to be much stronger than him and he found himself incapable of such an act. He began to give up and started laughing at the situation when he heard a familiar voice come from another corner of the room.

“Good morning, Sento Senju”

He couldn’t place the voice at first he couldn’t place the voice but as he turned his head to the left and felt his ear slide onto the wooden floor his yellow eyes connected both the voice and the body. Apparently she was who he was to guard the outpost with, which was good.. He remembered her being nicer however and couldn’t help but feel a lack of emotion coming from her greeting.

“I Take it the dog is yours?” He’d say as he reached out a hand to pet it. “Mind getting him off me?” He’d ask politely.

WC: 555

The dog's assault of licks stopped in an instant at the sound of Ashi's voice. The two companions, Ashi and Chai, had known each other since they were both very young and there was once a time when the two could barely understand each other. However, now the two hardly ever had to speak and when they did their conversations were brief with certain tones saying more than words; they had become two sides of the same coin. Indeed, such a bond helped on the battlefield, but it also helped Chai understand that Ashi was in no real mood to ask twice.

Giving Sento one last defiant kiss across the face, Chairomaru lifted himself from the boy and returned to his partner's side. Patting the now sitting Chai gently on the head, Ashi turned from the open window to face the one person she did not want to be spending the day with. Her expression, as it so often was, lacked any hint of her true emotions as she forced a thin smile. On one hand, Sento was a Senju, a clan Ashi felt very strongly about, while, on the other hand, he was also a Konohagakure shinobi. Unfortunately, the second of his two labels, 'Konoha shinobi', afforded him some semblance of respect, shame.

"You're a minute late," she spoke directly to the boy across from her. "Try to be on time for your next mission."

Sometimes she couldn't help herself.

"In case you didn't read today's mission," her tone dipped dangerously close to an accusation. "Allow me to lay out the rest of the day: our job is to keep watch from up here and, if we encounter any disturbance, respond accordingly."

A brief pause as she glanced out the window behind her before centering back on the boy.

"I'll be handling any disturbances, so follow my lead. Any questions?"

Oh, her anbu drill sergeant would be so proud if he could see her now.
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WC: 1,125

Sento was beginning to get the sense that civilian Ashi and Shinobi Ashi where two completely different people. The kind and helpful woman seemed to have faded behind an almost drill sergeant like personality. His left eyebrow would raise slightly as the woman brought up the fact that he was one minute late. Frankly he wasn’t even aware watches had been invented yet, Ashi must have had an impeccable sense of timing. Because he saw no wall clocks in the area.

The white haired senju would let out a sigh before giving an apology. “Sorry.. It won’t happen again” He’d say. The words were sincere after all. Sento prided himself on the fact that he would one day become a good shinobi despite the fact that his father had never allowed him to become an academy student while he still lived. And if he was already showing up late to missions on his second one it would not set a good image of himself for the future. Slightly frustrated he’d make a mental note to pick up the pace in the mornings.

When the woman began to give a rundown of the day ahead of them Sento smiled at the almost accusation like remark the woman had given him on whether or not he had read up on his mission details. For one to assume he hadn’t would require that they not know him very well, Sento was great at the whole reading thing, in fact he prided himself on it and new full well what he would be doing today.

Now for the questions. “Um, yah… Is your dog a ninja too?” He’d ask still fixated on the enormous dog. “Also what's his name?” This was more of small talk and whether the woman gave him an answer or not he’d walk over to his window and begin to look of his outpost from high above the dirt path below them, his yellow eyes scanning for every tiny detail he could find.

WC: 888

"Chairomaru?" Ashi's tone softened as it so often did when talking of her companion. "I suppose he is a shinobi; there's no one I'd rather have by my side in a fight."

As if in response to his friend's praise, Chai's tail thumped heavily on the wooden floor. The two had been through a lot: they'd faced the genin exams, twice; they'd led their first team together; they'd endured the rigor of the anbu program; and they'd even marched one Kumogakure at the head of Konohagakure's grand army under Nashua Uchiha. No, neither Ashi nor Chai could operate without the other—they were always there for each other no matter what.

"Though," she glanced down at Chai who met her gaze. "He much prefers to be called Chai."

With Sento taking up his post on the opposite side of the outpost, Ashi turned around watched the ground below. She'd spent the last week in the same spot simply watching and waiting. Early in the week she'd helped some lost travelers, but besides that her days had been fill with a whole bunch of nothingness. Perhaps a few years back such a job would have driven her up a wall, but recently she found she did not crave action and was perfectly at ease with waiting. In fact, she had even started to enjoy time off.

A few minutes passed and Ashi had not spoken. Her gaze had fixated on a familiar red spot down below. The first time she had seen it two days ago she thought it an intruder, but she soon found it to be nothing more than fox. So, with Chai resting at her feet, Ashi passively watched the fox's progress from her high perch—there was something calming about watching the world from such a height, the world seemed small.

If Sento wanted to talk he'd have to initiate conversation because Ashi had retreated into the confines of her own mind.
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WC: 1,448

As sento’s arm rested on the window seal in front of him he couldn’t help but take note of the growing silence that seemed to be enveloping the outpost around him. The only sounds that could be heard was the lighthearted panting of the dog he had just recently learned was named chai, and the chirping of birds in the trees that surrounded them. Growing bored he’d let out a small but audible sigh, still scanning the dirt path below them for any signs of life.

The silence would carry for what seemed like hours before something interesting finally happened and broke the monotonous routine. Down below on the dirt path Sento could see a horse drawn carriage appearing over the horizon, that seemed to be enroute to Konoha. Not particularly knowing what he was supposed to do in this situation he’d turn his head towards the female shinobi on the other side of the outpost.

“Hey Ashi… Got something on my side you may wanna check out” He’d inform as his hand pointed towards what seemed to be a traveling merchant or something along those lines, sento couldn’t really tell due to the fact that the man was still a good distance away. “You gonna go deal with the disturbance?” He’d say quoting her earlier comment, from when she had ordered him to follow her lead in the event of any encounters.

WC: 1121

The fox had returned after having disappeared for the better part of the day. Where it had gone and what it had done were, naturally, a mystery to the Inuzuka. Though, as the rusty-red creature crept back into her field of view, she noticed something different. Instead of the carefree jaunt, it sported earlier the animal seemed to slink in and out of the shadows with its body flattened to the ground. As a predator herself, Ashi could spot when another animal was stalking its prey and the fox was doing just that. The real question, for her anyway, was what did fox's eat? Time would tell as the fox accelerated.

Hey, Ashi...

Her head whipped around at the first words Sento had spoken in quite a while, so much for the fox. Unfortunately, as it so often did for an anbu, duty came before all else. In a few short strides, she stood next to the Senju. Peeking out his observation port she took special care not to touch the boy. God only knew what a Senju had on him and she couldn't stand the idea of getting fleas for the second time.

Lo and behold the Senju hadn't lied, there was a first. Turning up a sizeable plume of dust in its wake a horse-drawn carriage sped towards the are where the trees of Konohagakure met the plains leading to Sunagakure. Wherever they were headed they were going there fast. Unfortunately, they'd soon be making an unscheduled stop.

"Chai, you're in charge," were the last words before she slipped out the trapdoor.

About halfway down the trunk of the tree, she kicked off and down onto the only thing that resembled a road. The driver pulled back on his reins and the horses let out what sounded like yelps of surprise. Somehow the speeding carriage came to a stop a few feet in front of Ashi, what luck.

"Hell—" Ashi's greeting was cut off by a scream from inside the carriage itself.

By the time the driver had dismounted, the anbu was already pulling up the carriage door. The sight that greeted her was, alas, a familiar one. In the back sat a red-faced man and a woman laid out across his lap. The man's clueless face and the woman's swollen stomach told the whole story.

"Wait here," Ashi commanded calmly.

Leaving the door ajar she took a few steps back and inclined her head to where she hoped Sento was still watching from. It would seem the Senju would have a break from his monotony. Hopefully, he knew something about Lamaze breathing.

"Sento, get down here!"
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WC: 1,888

Ashi responded quickly to the situation at hand and made her way to the exit of the giant overgrown tree house, but before she left she turned to face the dog and uttered something that surprised him. “Chai you’re in charge” Sento tilted his head upon hearing this and gave his white hair covered head a confused scratch. He wouldn’t question it tho, and would simply watch as Ashi left leaving him and the dog alone.

The dog seemed to be looking directly at sento and for some reason he felt compelled to talk to it, despite the obvious fact that it most likely wouldn’t understand him. “Uuuuuuh, wonderful weather we're having isn..” His sentence was cut short by a sudden and startling scream from below that caused his head to spin towards the window. Peaking out from over the dirt road through his tiny outpost window he would see ashi yelling at him to get down and would move to oblige her sprinting towards the trap door and sliding down the tree trunk.

As he slammed into the dirt ground at an alarming speed he had not been expecting he stumbled slightly and almost fell on his face, but managed to regain his balance and save himself the embarrassment before he continued sprinting towards ashi, as he peaked his head through the wagon curtain he quickly turned back, letting the curtain fall to conceal his face from the pregnant woman in front of him. “Oh my god” He mouthed, afterall he was only sixteen and had not been expecting something like this on his first mission.

Recovering from his initial shock he’d ask Ashi what his orders were. Because he really had no clue what to do in a situation like this.

WC: 1414